Device for dispensing single sheets of paper and the like



H. R. PEARCE Dec. 20, 1955 DEVICE FOR DISPENSING SINGLE SHEETS OF PAPER AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 8, 1954 Invenlar Altorney United States Patent DEVICE FOR DISPENSING SINGLE SHEETS OF PAPER AND THE LIKE Howard Reginald Pearce, Golders Green, London, England Application January 8, 1954, Serial No. 403,034

Claims priority, application Great Britain December 2, 1953 2 Claims. (Cl. 221-259) This invention relates to devices for dispensing single sheets of paper and the like and it has for its object the provision of a closable container adapted to receive a pile of separate sheets of paper, said container being furnished with means by which a single sheet is delivered through an aperture in the container and to this end according to this invention the closable container is provided with a. feed mechanism adapted to be actuated by a pencil or like instrument from the outside of the container.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates an embodiment of this invention:

Figure l is a perspective view,

Figure 2 is a plan with a part of the cover removed, and

Figure 3 is a section on line III-III of Figure 2.

In the embodiment of the device illustrated in the drawing, 1 is an open topped casing furnished with a cover, the part 2 of which is secured to the casing while the part 3 is hinged at 4 to the casing or if desired along the back edge 5 to the part 2, a narrow gap or opening being provided at 6 between the front edge of the casing and part 3 of the cover, defining a transversely extending slit.

The container 1 is formed to receive a pile of note paper 7 and the means for ejecting or delivering a single sheet from the pile through the opening 6 comprises an arm 8 provided with an india rubber nose piece 9 arranged to bear on the top sheet of the pile of paper, said arm being pivoted on a pin 10 carried by a bracket 11 rigidly secured on a spindle 12 pivotally mounted in the side walls of the casing 1, a spring 13 serving to load or urge the arm 8 forwardly into extended position and press same on the paper. A plate or arm 14 is also rigidly secured to the spindle 12.

The part 2 of the casing is furnished with a tubular,

element 15 positioned directly above the arm 14, such tubular element having an internal diameter which will permit a pencil or other similar instrument 16 to pass therethrough.

In use, a pile of paper 7 is placed in the casing 1 beneath the arm 8, and the part 3 of the cover closed. When it is desired to discharge a sheet of paper from wit Hi? the casing, a pencil or other instrument 16 is inserted into the tubular element 15 and pushed down against the arm 14; this movement draws the arm 8 rearwardly, the rubber nose piece 9 sliding over the paper into the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3. Inwardly directed shoulders 18 provided in the casing prevent rearward movement of the paper sheets. As the arm 8 is drawn rearwardly, the friction piece 9 makes a constantly smaller angle with the paper, the pivoted end of arm 8 moving downwardly below the top of the shoulders or backstops 18. To permit such movement the shoulders or backstops 18 are laterally ofiset relative to said arm. When the pencil or the like is withdrawn the bracket 11 under the influence of the spring 13 rises and the nose piece 9 on the arm 8 pushes a sheet of paper through the gap or slit 6, the front edge of the sheet sliding up sloping surface 17 of the casin I claim:

1. A device for dispensing individual paper sheets from a loose stack thereof, comprising a casing for containing said paper and defining a transversely extending slit, spindle means within said casing, bracket means within said casing and mounted at one end for pivotal movement about the axis of said spindle means, arm means pivotally connected with said bracket means at the other end, spring means normally urging said arm means forwardly within said casing into extended position, friction means carried by said arm means and resting on the top sheet of paper disposed Within said casing, backstop means for preventing rearward movement of said paper within said casing, said backstop means being laterally offset relative to said arm means, and tubular means connected with said casing and communicating with an aperture defined in said casing, whereby upon inserting a pencil-like instrument through said tubular means into said casing said instrument contacts and pivots said bracket means downwardly within said casing against the action of said spring means, thereby causing the pivoted end ,of said arm means to move rearwardly and downwardly within said easing into retracted position below the top of said backstop means, said friction means riding rearwardly along the top sheet of paper making a constantly smaller angle therewith, removal of said instrument permitting return of said bracket means, said arm means and said friction means to initial position under the influence of said spring means, return of said friction means serving to advance and dispense the top sheet of paper through said casing slit.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, said spindle means being secured to said bracket means for pivotal movement therewith within said casing, said device further including plate means rigidly connected with said spindle means and aligned with said tubular means and said aperture within said casing, whereby an instrument inserted within said tubular means acts upon said plate means to efiect pivoting of said spindle means together with said bracket means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 416,340 Moodie Dec. 3, 1889 1,370,560 Russell Mar. 8, 1921 1,495,874 Bartlett May 27, 1924 2,290,006 Trollen July 14, 1942 

